KSO Glorieux Ronse is a school in Belgium that has, over the past decade, conducted a wonderful educational experiment by posting contests based on polyomino problems that could be engaged with by their own students just as much as the world’s puzzle solving elite. (The latter tended to win, of course.) Their 50th contest, which they state was their final one, was held late last year. They solicited the polyform puzzle community for problems to use in the contest and got quite a few, including one from me. No word yet on the results of the contest, (or their previous one for that matter) but the problems there are still pretty interesting.

I’ll be at the 10th Gathering for Gardner (G4G10) this week, and I expect that I’ll come back with quite a lot to think and post about. If you’re going to be there, my talk on Flexible Polyforms has tentatively been scheduled for the Thursday morning session. I hope to see some of you there!

I have had a lifelong interest in recreational mathematics, especially polyomino problems. I’ve produced some puzzles in laser-cut plastic, which I sell via this very site. I’ve also dabbled in writing interactive fiction.